The present invention relates generally to automotive accessories for enhancing the styling and functionality of trucks and sport utility vehicles. The present invention relates more particularly to a grille guard for trucks and sport utility vehicles, wherein the grille guard comprises a footstep for enhancing access to the hood and engine compartment of the trucks and sport utility vehicles.
Grille guards, brush guards, and the like for protecting the front end of trucks, sport utility vehicles, and other automobiles are well known. Such grille and brush guards are commonly mounted to the front ends of such vehicles so as to prevent damage thereto during off road use. During off road use such vehicles are subject to damage caused by rocks, tree limbs and other such matter which is typically present in the outdoors.
Further, grille and brush guards provide an aesthetic appearance which appeals to many vehicle owners. Thus, grille and brush guards are frequently mounted to an automobile whether or not off road use is contemplated.
As those skilled in the art will appreciate. Such grille and brush guards typically comprise a plurality of horizontally extending, typically tubular members which generally cover the grille and headlights of the automobile. Typically, two vertical members extend downwardly from the horizontal members to facilitate more rigid attachment of the horizontal members to the automobile and also to facilitate the attachment of various accessories thereto. The vertical members typically comprise sheet metal or metal plate having a right angle bend formed therein for strength. The vertical members alternatively are comprised of two pieces of sheet metal or metal plate which are welded together to form a T cross-section.
Such accessories typically comprise winches, winch hooks, resilient members or rubber bumpers, license plate holders, etc.
Trucks and sport utility vehicles on which such grille guards are installed frequently have larger than standard wheels and modified suspension, which cooperate to raise the vehicle""s body to a height substantially greater than that of a stock vehicle. This is typically done both for cosmetic reasons and to allow the vehicle to ride over obstructions, i.e., rocks, fallen trees, etc., without causing damage to the vehicle.
Although such raised vehicles possess aesthetic and functional characteristics desirable to those who own and use them, certain disadvantages are inherent in such modifications. For example, raising the vehicle makes access to the hood and/or engine compartment substantially more difficult than is the case with an unmodified vehicle.
Thus, when access to the hood and/or engine compartment is desired, as when washing the vehicle and when performing maintenance thereon, it is frequently necessary to obtain a footstool or the like. However, the requirement for such a footstool represents a substantial inconvenience.
When a footstool is not available, it is known to climb upon the grille guard and/or other portions of the automobile, so as to provide access to the hood and/or engine compartment. However, such climbing about upon the grille guard and/or automobile is undesirable for a variety of different reasons.
Climbing upon the grille guard and/or automobile creates the potential for incurring damage to the vehicle. For example, portions of the grille guard and/or vehicle which are stepped upon may become dented, bent and/or scratched.
More importantly, such climbing about on the grille guard and/or automobile presents the potential for injury to the person doing so. Such person is subject to slipping, and/or falling from the automobile. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, substantial and devastating injuries can result from such slips and/or falls.
Climbing about upon the grille guard and/or automobile is particularly dangerous when the person doing so is attempting to obtain better access to the engine compartment when the engine is running. This situation commonly occurs when maintenance is being performed upon the vehicle. A slight slip by a person positioned over or proximate to an engine compartment can result in inadvertent undesirable contact with moving and/or hot components of the engine, thus substantially enhancing the opportunity for injury.
In view of the foregoing, it is desirable to provide means for enhancing access to the hood and engine compartment of a truck or sport utility vehicle which has been raised sufficiently to make access thereto otherwise difficult.
The present invention specifically addresses and alleviates the above mentioned deficiencies associated with the prior art. More particularly, the present invention comprises a grille guard for an automobile, wherein the grille guard comprises at least one first grille guard member extending generally horizontally so as to protect a portion of the automobile""s front, at least one second grille guard member extending generally vertically and formed to said at least one first grille guard member, and a footstep formed to said at least one second grille guard member proximate a lower end thereof.
The step preferably comprises a generally tubular horizontal member and a flattened portion formed in the generally tubular horizontal member, upon which a person may conveniently and safely step without causing damage to either the automobile or the grille guard.
Preferably, a non-skid surface is formed upon the flattened portion of the generally tubular horizontal member. Preferably, a rubber covering is formed upon the flattened portion of the generally tubular horizontal member or step. As used herein, the term rubber is defined to include durable resilient materials such as natural and artificial rubber, as well as various polymer materials. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, various different other materials are likewise suitable for use upon the flattened portion of the generally tubular horizontal member. The rubber covering preferably comprises tread formed therein, so as to enhance its non-skid capabilities.
Optionally, the flattened portion of the generally tubular horizontal member is knurled and/or covered with a sandpaper-like non-skid material.
A bracket is formed at each end of the footstep for attaching the footstep to two second grille guard members. One bracket is preferably formed within each open end of the tubular footstep and each bracket preferably comprises an elongate bar or attachment member having two threaded holes formed therein to facilitate attachment to the grille guard via threaded fasteners such as bolts. Alternatively, each bracket comprises a U-shaped attachment member. Alternatively, the tubular member may be welded directly to the two vertically extending second grille guard members, preferably proximate the lower ends thereof.
The footstep is preferably formed by pressing the tubular member to form the flattened portion thereon. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, various jigs, fixtures, molds, dies, tools, etc., may be utilized with various types of presses to form the desired flattened portion of the tubular member.
The grille guard with footstep of the present invention provides a safe and easy means for obtaining access to the hood and/or engine compartment of a raised vehicle. Thus, by stepping upon the footstep portion of the grille guard of the present invention, one may easily wash the vehicle""s hood and/or perform maintenance upon the engine. The footstep of the present invention provides a sturdy structural member, easily capable of withstanding the weight of a person, which is not subject to scratching, bending, bowing, breaking, etc., such as that which frequently occurs when a person climbs upon a prior art grille guard and/or automobile.
These, as well as other advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description and drawings. It is understood that changes in the specific structure shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.